Extra Credit Reading Notes: Apache

Notes from the Jicarilla Apache of New Mexico, collected and translated by P. E. Goddard

"Naiyenesgani Rescues the Taos Indians"

• Naiyenesgani
• Steals and conceals Pueblo corn 
• The Pueblo Indians tell him to leave 
• He turns the corn into snakes to scare the Pueblo Indians, then turns them back into corn 
• The Pueblo Indians tell him to leave again 
• He turns the corn into snakes with wings 
• He tells them to shut the door 
• The Pueblo Indians believe he is a medicine man and tell him there "is a sinking place where our people have been taken into the ground away from us."
• He makes them cover his clothes entirely in turquoise 
• Naiyenesgani goes to the sinking place and makes 4 hoops: black, blue, yellow, mixed
• The lake has a monster in it that sucks in the Pueblo people 
• "Standing at the east, he made four motions with the black hoop, and then threw it in. The water opened out at the center of the lake. He then stood at the south and making motions four times threw in the blue hoop. The water receded from the center. He stood at the west, made motions four times with the yellow hoop, and threw it in. The water moved still further from the center. Finally, he stood at the north with the hoop of mixed colors. He made motions four times and threw it in. The water came together and vanished."
• The top of a ladder stands where the water once was 
• A crane tries to call a warning, but Naiyenesgani gives him a red stone to keep him quiet 
• YeLagôLtsôde, the monster, grabs him by the foot, but he kicks it and makes the monster fall 
• He saves the captives by smoking the monster out 

Pikes Peak by Hogs555 (source: Wikimedia). 

"Naiyenesgani Takes His Leave" 

• Naiyenesgani gathers people and tells them to use their supernatural powers on him, which they cannot do 
• He puts the bear in charge of all the insects + fruits 
• He gives the marten the yuccas, chokecherries, and corn 
• Squirrels were given blackberries, strawberries, and small fruits 
• Grasshopper was given grain 
• Amole was given to blacktail deer 
• He rid the world of monsters before leaving and gave the people what they needed at "the heart of the world"
• He will return to die with everyone together 
• He made the Rio Grande the backbone of the world + a mountain ridge for its neck + Pikes Peak for its head 
• He made the world very strong + claimed that if his people left/were forced from this area they would perish 
• "We are dying off because the Americans have taken us to a place not our own and have forced us to live by means not ours. They have taken us away from the world which our father made for us to live in and we are dying in consequence."